10 Million affected by Cyclone Phailin

Up to 10 million people have been affected by the devastating Cyclone Phailin, one of the most severe cyclones to hit India in over a decade.

Initial assessments by the Indian Red Cross show that 200,000 rural houses have been damaged while 14 000 villages have been torn down, leaving 600,000 people homeless.

Pete Garratt, British Red Cross disaster response manager, said: “All indications point to sterling work by Indian authorities in saving lives. However, we are aware that Cyclone Phailin has left a massive trail of destruction, the impact of which will prove devastating to people’s livelihoods.

“Thousands have lost their homes, farms and crops have been destroyed on a large scale and people’s livelihoods have been shattered. We therefore appeal to the public to support with donations and aid the Indian people in recovering from this disaster,” Garratt explained.

The British Red Cross yesterday released an initial £50,000 from its Disaster Fund to provide immediate relief to survivors, and has appealed to members of the public to donate to its emergency appeal.

The Red Cross is already on the ground, urgently working to reach vulnerable families with shelter, clean water, food and livelihoods support, but needs further help to fund its efforts.

The Indian Red Cross helped the Indian government to evacuate 800,000 people in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh prior to the cyclone.

ENDS

The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies. We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand emergencies in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them to recover and move on with their lives.